Finding Home Through the International Community

Warren Gichana 2025/26 Head ISO

The primary reason I chose Huron is because I was eager to find a place where I could feel seen and at home. From the moment I learned about Huron’s international community, I knew this was the place for me. It was clear to me that it is not just about where people come from, but about the way difference is treated as something valuable, shaping the campus rather than sitting at its margins.

The first time I experienced that sense of belonging was during International Welcome Week 2022. To me, it far exceeds its title as an orientation program – it was an entry point into finding a community. It’s the week where international students first experience being welcomed not as outsiders, but people who deeply matter to the school. To reference my CGS major, it’s where agency and ownership begin to emerge. When you’re about to be outnumbered by domestic students, being told – with care and sincerity – that you belong here, especially by the International Program Coordinator Nicole Kristoff (lovingly called Mama Nicole by many of the international students) makes all the difference

That’s why the International Student Officer (ISO) program will forever hold a dear place in my heart. Joining the team in my first year as an enthusiastic volunteer was both the easiest and best decision I’ve ever made. My goal being to give back to the community that welcomed me with open arms and gave me the love, support and confidence to chase opportunities. Over time, my involvement grew into something bigger than I could’ve imagined. I have grown from a volunteer to wielding the baton as Head ISO in my final year. It’s a journey that I am immensely proud of, not just because of the title itself, but what it represents: the growth I have been able to experience as a young man and student, and of what can be achieved when you have the unyielding trust of a mentor like Nicole, and of a commitment to something bigger than myself.

What I’m proudest of is the relationships I have built in this role. Over the past four years, I’ve had the privilege of being part of international students’ lives in ways that extend far beyond their initial arrival to campus. I’ve watched my ‘kids’ grow, whether it’s going on to join the ISO team themselves or taking on other leadership roles. I’ve maintained strong long-lasting bonds with many of my ‘kids’, who still reach out, confide in me, and share their journeys long after their first year. I am privileged to have had a first-row seat in watching them develop into their authentic selves. Knowing that a soft landing with the ISO team played even a small role in that has been incredibly meaningful.

Now, in my final year, with a new title as International Student Representative within the HUCSC, my love for the community has only deepened. One thing I am committed to in this role is ensuring that upper-year international students remain involved and visible within the student body. International students may feel increasingly isolated as numbers decline or priorities shift, but I firmly believe that international students continue to play an imperative role in enriching the university experience for the entire community. I take it as my responsibility to help carve out space for that.

Looking back, London has become home for me because of its people, the community that welcomed me, formed me, and trusted me to lead. My commitment to upholding and strengthening that community isn’t something I take lightly, I plan to maintain this responsibility even beyond my last day on this campus as an undergrad, and I will continue to carry these experiences with me wherever I go next.